MFL
Tout est possible
Anything is possible
Intent
At Puss Bank School, French is taught at KS2 to excite learners about the possibilities that arise from being able to speak another language. Our young linguists therefore develop aspirations beyond their own community and begin to identify themselves as future global citizens. Children are immersed in engaging and interactive lessons which promote an enjoyment of the subject. Through making connections between languages that children already speak and the French they learn, pupils enrich their knowledge about language and develop metacognitive skills. Our French curriculum fosters a breadth and depth of language acquisition, through building knowledge across key strands. This exposure provides a secure foundation, from which our pupils can progress confidently to the secondary curriculum.
Implementation
We begin to teach French formally at KS2, when children participate in a weekly timetabled French lesson. Lessons are based on the Brilliant Publications “Luc et Sophie” scheme of work, which links strongly to the National Curriculum and incorporates a short story within each unit so that children experience the target language in context. This also links with our school reading ethos. French is taught as a discrete subject and we follow the sequence of units from the scheme, to ensure a progressive sequence of vocabulary, skills and knowledge.
In lessons, the children will have the opportunity to: recap known vocabulary through bridging back (for example through an initial “cinq minutes français” section of the lesson); learn new vocabulary; practise their spoken French and build their awareness of sounds and language patterns; sing songs and use actions and gestures as an aide memoir. As the children progress through the school, they also develop their ability to read and write in French.
Outside of the French lesson, class teachers take opportunities to reinforce the target language of the unit as well as the “sticky knowledge” we want children to acquire over time; e.g. basics such as numbers, days of the week, greetings and simple instructions.
To enrich the MFL curriculum, across the school, we hold a celebration of language and culture through the European Day of Languages and World Languages Day, raising awareness about diversity in the world and in our own school. In each Year group, there are opportunities within some of the units to compare French customs or ways of life with our own.
Impact
There is ongoing teacher assessment to ensure that the children are keeping up with the pace of the curriculum and achieving our goals. As a result of our French Curriculum:
We want every child to be able to:
Promote and develop language learning skills
Make links between pupils’ own language and other languages
Ensure progression of skills and knowledge in speaking, reading, writing and grammar.
Present language learning as an enjoyable pursuit.
Involve pupils in monitoring and reflecting on their progress at the end of each unit